Carson resigns as TCU President

Melissa Carson resigned from the Tufts Community Union (TCU) presidency yesterday after she decided to take medical leave following surgery.

TCU Senate Vice-President Andrew Potts will take over Carson's responsibilities but remain in his current office, as stipulated by the TCU Constitution.

"My doctors want me to be stress free and on medication and healing," Carson said. "It shouldn't take that long for me to get better. It should take only a few months but if I am trying to take four classes, be TCU president and enjoy my senior year then they don't think I will get better."

It is uncertain whether anyone will replace Carson as president. An election will be held next Wednesday to fill Carson's senate seat, but the TCU Constitution is not specific about what should be done when a president resigns _ it states only that in the event of an absence of the president, the vice-president will take over the presidential responsibilities.

Potts stressed yesterday that he will not have the title of president, but will be fulfilling the presidential duties. "My goal is to ensure that the Senate keeps its full momentum and keeps the positive momentum that we have already," Potts said. He said that Carson's absence would be felt in the Senate, and called her the most effective senate member he has ever known.

Carson broke the news to the Senate at the body's meeting on Sunday night. "I told them in person [Sunday] night because I felt like I owed that to them," she said. "Everyone seemed confident that the momentum will continue for the rest of the semester. This is truly the strongest senate body that I have seen in my tenure at Tufts and I know they can do it."

Senators were optimistic about finishing the rest of the year, despite Carson's departure. "I think the Senate this year is really strong," Senate Historian Alison Clarke said. "We have really good senators all around. I think obviously she will be missed, but we have a strong senate that will be able to continue on."

Carson's resignation letter was sent out to the student body yesterday evening. In it, she praised this year's Senate for not being "ruled by egos, but rather by a genuine desire to hear what students want and bring about change."

Freshman senator Alex Mendell said that the Senate is in the process of accomplishing Carson's agenda, and that the former president will still be available for help when needed.

"You can't replace somebody like Melissa," junior senator Randy Newsom said. "It almost motivates us more because we know how hard she worked for [the Senate] and we're going to do the same in her honor in some ways."

Yesterday, senators, TCU Judiciary members and Elections Board (ELBO) members were still confused on what actions to take next. Potts, as the vice-president with the powers of the president, could call a presidential nominations meeting, paving the way for a presidential election, or the TCU Judiciary could conceivably force Potts to call the presidential nominations meeting if a student were to approach the board and ask for an election.

Some student politicians are worried because ELBO currently consists of three freshmen, who just joined the organization last semester. ELBO members declined to comment about what they will do next.

There is no general opinion amongst senators about whether a new president should step in. Newsom considers this year's Senate to be Carson's creation, and thinks "no one would be able to replace her, it would still be her presidency." He said there is already strong leadership throughout the Senate. Even though there would be no official president, he does not believe it would hinder the Senate.

Senate Parliamentarian Adam Koeppel, however, thinks that Carson's position should be filled. He said that fulfilling the duties of both vice-president and president _ as Potts would if Caron is not replaced _ would be too much responsibility for anyone. Clarke, the Senate historian, has already expressed interest in running for the presidency, should the option arise. Should no other candidates step forward, Koeppel said he would run against Clarke so that she would not automatically become the next president.

Carson, however, said that she just wants to make sure that her resignation does not lead to fighting about whether or not to fill her vacated post. "The last thing I want for this is to result in student body government infighting over procedure," she said. "We worked really hard to establish senate, judiciary agreement and maintain friendly relations. I just hope that the Senate and the J can work this out without having it turn into a battle.

"I don't think that it will. I just don't want it to."